Also, As Well and Too: Three Ways to Say More

There is an expression in English, "Less is more",
which means that brevity is sometimes the most
meaningful style of expression. However, in
the professional world, we often need to communicate
a lot of information at once without losing
the reader's attention. Finding the right way
to link ideas and phrases is a crucial factor
in organising what you want to say. This article
will focus on the use of also, as well and too,
some little words which go a long way.

You are not going to find a chapter in your
grammar book devoted to also, but this short
word is worth studying for a moment. Also is
deceptive because it seems so easy to translate
it directly into other languages (aussi in French,
ook in Dutch, etc.), but where would you place
also in a sentence? Normally, it comes before
the verb, as in "She also speaks French,"
or the verb may be implied, as in "She
speaks French and also (speaks) Dutch."
Placing also at the end of the sentence, though
not absolutely incorrect, sounds unnatural.

Non-native speakers of English tend to run
into difficulty in using the adverb also with
the verb to be. Although it is quite correct
to say "She also speaks French," or
"She also has a French passport,"
this leads many people to say "She also
is a French citizen." Normally, that should
be "She is also a French citizen,"
unless you want to place some particular emphasis
on the subject, she. Just remember, the is takes
priority. Say "My sister is also coming
to visit," not "My sister also is
coming to visit," which does not sound
right at all.

You might as well

What is the difference between also and too?
And what about as well? Both too and as well
can be used as synonyms of also but are generally
placed at the end of the sentence, after the
verb and direct object. The choice between too
(pronounced exactly the same as to and two)
and as well is mostly a matter of preference.
Too has a slightly informal connotation, so
if you are writing a business letter, it would
probably be better to stick to as well, for
example "Our company offers a complete
guarantee as well."

Another use of as well which is practically
indispensable for business writing is the combination
with as. In fact, you may wonder how you ever
managed to write a text without it. As well
as is a set phrase which means in addition to.
You will often see sentences such as "Our
company offers a complete guarantee as well
as 24-hour telephone support," or even,
"As well as offering the very best service
to its customers, the company specialises in
advanced product development." Although
it is frequently used in commercial texts, this
form is not restricted to business writing,
of course. As well as can take the place of
and, but it is not considered to have the same
conjunctive force to bind two subjects into
one. Consequently, you would say "The parent
company, as well as its affiliate, was named
in the indictment," retaining the singular
verb. If you would say "The parent company
and its affiliate were named," you would
of course use a plural verb.

Too complicated?
Don't get stressed.

While we are on the subject, let us look at
the word too. There are two cases in which the
word is spelled with a double O. This is what
is known as the "stressed" form of
the preposition to. One case is when the word
is used to mean also, as mentioned above; the
other is when it is used in the sense of "too
much", meaning "excessively".
"The coat was too big, the trousers too
short, for he was a tall man," (J. Steinbeck).
There are also countless idiomatic expressions
such as "Oh, that's too bad," (meaning,
"That's a pity.")

Variation is important in a written text. It
is a good idea to use synonyms when you can.
You may also want to try together with, along
with, and in addition to to spice up your style.
Besides using different words, think about changing
your sentence structure. These three phrases
lend themselves particularly well to placement
at the beginning of a sentence. "In addition
to an excellent command of English, our staff
offers thorough knowledge of all products."
In the fast-paced professional world, it is
essential to keep your message brief and clear.
However, variation does not necessarily mean
complication. It simply makes your texts more
interesting to write and to read.